Arla achieves sustainable packaging target

The packaging sustainability strategy includes making 600 million fresh milk cartons renewable and 500 million yoghurt pots recyclable across six countries by the end of the year. The company said that this is the first big move in its new packaging sustainability strategy that would cut 7,330 tonnes of carbon.

The new packaging will be available to the consumer market in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

Arla Head of Europe Peter Giørtz-Carlsen said: “We want to help people live a more sustainable life, as well as feel good about what’s in their fridge. Fresh milk and yoghurts are enjoyed on a daily basis in most households in our main markets and are also key to our retail customers. That’s why these items topped our list of packaging to improve from a sustainability perspective and our pan-European presence enables us to leverage our scale and impact several markets.”

Arla’s overall sustainability aim is to be entirely carbon net zero by 2050.

Giørtz-Carlsen added: “We have a rich back catalogue of moves that have made our packaging better for the environment over the years. But no doubt, this year’s conversion of more than one billion packaging items is one of our biggest ever. Coupled with some other smaller initiatives, it means we will hit our CO2 savings target for packaging for 2019. But we have to deliver every year, so we are already developing plans for next year’s reduction.”

More than 90 per cent of consumers think packaging should be redesigned to augment recycling.

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